nesariafandomcom-20200213-history
Steppe Dancer
Steppe Dancer Steppe Dancer - Ellixa Ocemor Estepavo Saltator Animal, Bird Diet Omnivorous (berries, seeds, insects, small rodents) Behaviour * Peaceful * Nomadic * Communal * Competitive * Tameable Physical Characteristics * Average Height: 50 centimetres (female), 57 centimetres (male) * Largest Recorded Height: 59 centimetres (female), 64 centimetres (male) * Female Average Length: 80 centimetres (body), 130 centimetres (with train) * Male Average Length: 100 centimetres (body), 210 centimetres (with train) * Female Largest Recorded Length: 90 centimetres (body), 150 centimetres (with train) * Male Largest Recorded Length: 130 centimetres (body), 240 centimetres (with train) * Average Width: 24 centimetres * Largest Recorded Width: 30 centimetres * Average Wingspan: 65 centimetres (female), 73 centimetres (male) * Largest Recorded Wingspan: 71 centimetres (female), 80 centimetres (male) * Average Life Expectancy: 30 years * Longest Recorded Lifespan: 50 years Description The Steppe Dancer is endemic to Estemoria. It is a kind of peafowl, although the fan-like train of the males is significantly smaller than the common peacock and the females also possess a small train, and neither sexes possess a crest. The colours of the feathers are also less vibrant and stark, typically made up of soft greens and dark yellows, although the males do possess vibrant bright greens and yellows - as well as lines of white - on the head. The feathers of the train are also thicker and less wire-like compared to the common peacock, and both sexes possess hen feathering, where the feathers are outlined in black. However, besides its feathers, the trait the Steppe Dancer is most known for - as the name would suggest - is its distinctive behaviour of singing and dancing. Steppe Dancers live together in small flocks (known in English as "troupes"), and before the mating season each sex goes off in private away from the other and comes up with their own song and dance routine, which they practice to perfection. The dancing consists of movements of the feet, wings, head and tail, which is usually (but not always) devised after the song. The birds do not sing an individual melody, but come together as a chorus, with different birds singing different notes and rhythms, usually composed of a backing section (sometimes two with larger flocks), a melody section and a harmony section. The birds will also not all have the same individual dance routine, as it can vary depending upon their location within the ensemble. It is important to note that the song of the Steppe Dancer is distinct from the other species of peafowl, possessing a much greater range of tone and volume, and having a softer, more melodic song compared to the harsh cawing of other peafowls. Once the mating season begins, the males perform to the females and the females perform to the males. The males and females then pair up and together perform an improvised song and dance, usually pairing up three to five times before coming to a final decision on who to mate with. The quality of the song and dance, how well the dancer performed their routine, and how well the two partners were able to connect and improvise a routine together on the fly (as well as the basic physical markers of attractiveness like strength and healthiness) all determine whether or not two partners will pick each other as mates. Once a mating partner has been picked, they remain together for life and will continue to mate each season, but if one partner dies the other will go back to courting. Even if a Steppe Dancer has already chosen a mate, though, they will continue to participate in the dance, but only pair up with their mate. This serves to help teach the younger dancers how to sing and dance, but it also seems to simply be that the Steppe Dancers find singing and dancing an enjoyable and fun activity that strengthens the bond between mates who are already together. The complexity of their song and dance routines, as well as their ability to improvise routines on the fly (albeit significantly less complex ones) suggests a high degree of intelligence, and when presented with various problems and puzzles they have exhibited intelligence roughly equal to (or perhaps slightly inferior to) a crow, although they are not as adept at using tools. As Food The Steppe Dancer tastes much like turkey, but the meat is a little less dry and is lighter in texture. Conservation The Steppe Dancer is classified as Conservation Dependent - that is, the population is stable but only because of active conservation efforts - although the label of Near Threatened is also applied. Before laws were imposed, the Steppe Dancer suffered not only from widespread hunting but also from a reduced food supply as the expansion of urbanisation and consequent pollution virtually wiped out the notoriously fragile Bulbberry near the cities. As the Bulbberry is a favourite of the Steppe Dancer, this also destroyed their populations. The Steppe Dancer population dropped to what would now be classified as Endangered in the late 19th century, although since conservation laws were imposed by Emperor Adrion I, the population stabilised and slowly began to recover. Active efforts to help the Steppe Dancer population began in the 1960s, where the species was then reclassified as Conservation Dependent. As of 2019, the Steppe Dancer population is growing, but it still has a long way to go to match the pre-industrial populations.